0214-13 New York Times Crossword Answers 14 Feb 13, Thursday

QuickLinks:
Solution to today’s crossword in the New York Times
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CROSSWORD SETTER: Jules P. Markey
THEME: In Front of the Door … today’s themed answers are comprised of two words, each of which can precede the word DOOR:

16A. *Comfy place : FIRESIDE (“fire door” & “side door”)
20A. *Alternative to a Crock-Pot : DUTCH OVEN (“Dutch door” & “oven door”)
27A. *Metaphor for a sharp mind : STEEL TRAP (“steel door” & “trap door”)
36A. *Gathering spot for the upwardly mobile? : ELEVATOR CAR (“elevator door” & “car door”)
45A. *Campaign from town to town : BARNSTORM (“barn door” & “storm door”)
55A. *Where a cast may be found : BACKSTAGE (“back door” & “stage door”)
61A. Welcoming symbol … or what each part of the answers to the six starred clues can do? : OPEN DOOR

COMPLETION TIME: 11m 18s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across

1. Tow job, maybe : REPO
Repo: repossessed property.

8. Best buds? : ROSES
Happy Valentines Day!

13. Stylishness : ELAN
Our word “élan” was imported from French, in which language the word has a similar meaning to ours i.e “style” or “flair”.

14. ___ canto : BEL
“Bel canto” is a term used in Italian opera, the literal translation of which is “beautiful singing”.

15. A Jackson : LA TOYA
La Toya Jackson was very close to her brother Michael, both in age and temperament. It seems to me that La Toya’s obsession with the plastic surgeon’s knife was second only to that of her younger brother.

18. Rick who sang “Together Forever” : ASTLEY
Rick Astley is an English singer, best known for his 1987 worldwide hit “Never Gonna Give You Up”. Astley retired in 1993 but became a huge hit on the Internet in 2007. At that time, a YouTube video of “Never Gonna Give You Up” was chosen by tricksters as a link (labeled as something else) that was sent around the world so that the clip was seen by millions online. The YouTube phenomenon was given the name “Rickrolling”. With all the new exposure that the song received Astley made a whopping $12 in royalties from YouTube. Yep, 12 whole dollars.

19. PayPal money : E-CASH
PayPal has been around since the year 2000, born out of a merger of two older companies: Confinity and X.com. PayPal was so successful that it was the first of the beleaguered dot.com companies to successfully complete an IPO after the attacks of 9/11. Then in 2002, PayPal was bought by eBay for a whopping $1.5 billion.

20. *Alternative to a Crock-Pot : DUTCH OVEN (“Dutch door” & “oven door”)
A Dutch oven is a cooking pot with a tight lid, usually made from cast-iron. Back in Ireland we call them casserole dishes.

“Dutch door” is the American term for what we call back in Ireland a “half door”, and for what is known in Britain as a “stable door”.

23. Oahu-to-Molokai dir. : ESE
O’ahu has been called “The Gathering Place”, although the word “O’ahu” has no translation in Hawaiian. It seems that O’ahu is simply the name of the island. One story is that it is named after the son of the Polynesian navigator that first found the islands. The island is made up of two volcanoes, Wai’anae and Ko’olau, joined together by a broad valley, the O’ahu Plain.

Moloka’i is the fifth largest of the Hawaiian islands. Famously, in the 19th century Moloka’i was home to a leper colony that was run by the Belgian priest, Father Damien de Veuster.

33. American Heart Mo. (appropriately) : FEB
Happy Valentines Day!

35. Pitcher Hideo ___ : NOMO
Hideo Nomo is a former professional baseball pitcher from Osaka, Japan. After achieving success in Japan, Nomo became the first Japanese-born player to appear in Major League Baseball in the US. Nomo threw two no-hitters while playing here in the Majors. He is the only Japanese-born player to have thrown even one no-hitter.

36. *Gathering spot for the upwardly mobile? : ELEVATOR CAR (“elevator door” & “car door”)
Elevators (simple hoists) have been around for a long time. What Elisha Otis did was come up with the “safety elevator”, a design that he showcased at the 1853 World’s Fair in New York. At the Fair, Otis would stand on an elevated platform in front of onlookers and order his assistant to cut the single rope holding up the platform. His safety system kicked in when the platform had only fallen a few inches, amazing the crowd. After this demonstration, the orders came rolling in.

50. Return address for many absentee ballots: Abbr. : APO
Army Post Office (APO).

51. Wall St. insider, maybe : ARB
“Arb” is short for an arbitrageur, one who profits from the purchase of securities in one market and the subsequent sale in another, hence taking advantage of price discrepancies across markets.

53. Like some stocks, for short : OTC
Over-the-counter (OTC) trading of stocks is a way of trading directly between two parties, as opposed to exchange trading in which trading occurs in an exchange.

58. Skater ___ Anton Ohno : APOLO
Apolo Ohno has won more Winter Olympics medals than any other American. Ohno also did a great job winning the 2007 season of television’s “Dancing with the Stars”.

60. Garment with buttons on the left : BLOUSE
I don’t know if it is true but I’ve heard that men’s garments button the right because most people are right-handed and so buttons on the right make it easier for a man to dress. Women’s garments have buttons on the left because in days gone by, a well-to-do lady would have a maid to dress her. The buttons on the left made it easier for the right-handed maid to dress her lady while she stood in front of her.

63. Compounds with nitrogen : AMINES
The chemical compounds known as amines are derivatives of ammonia.

65. Jai ___ : ALAI
Even though jai alai is often said to be the fastest sport in the world because of the speed of the ball, in fact golf balls usually get going at a greater clip.

68. Filibusterers, e.g.: Abbr. : SENS
A filibuster is a procedure used in parliamentary circles whereby someone extends a debate in order to prevent a vote taking place. The use of the filibuster has led to most legislation needing a 60% vote in order to come the floor of the US Senate. At least that has been the case since 1975. The filibuster was an option in the US House as well until 1842, at which time a rule was introduced that limits the duration of a debate.

Down
5. Eastern wrap : OBI
The sash worn as part of traditional Japanese dress is known as an obi. The obi can be tied in what is called a butterfly knot.

6. Like Texas vis-à-vis New York, politically : REDDER
On political maps, red states are Republican and blue states Democrat. The designation of red and blue states is a very recent concept, only introduced in the 2000 presidential election by TV journalist, the late Tim Russert. In retrospect, the choice of colors is surprising, as in other democracies around the world red is usually used to describe left-leaning socialist parties (the reds under the bed!), and blue is used for conservative right-wing parties. In election cycles, swing/battleground states are often depicted in purple, the color formed by mixing red and blue.

7. ___ cheese : BLEU
Being a bit of a French speaker (admittedly a pretty poor one), the term “bleu” cheese has always kind of irritated me. I would prefer that we use either “blue cheese” or “fromage bleu” and not mix the languages, but then I can be annoyingly picky! It’s said that blue cheese was probably discovered accidentally, as molds tend to develop in the same conditions that are best for storing cheese. The blue mold in the cheese is introduced by adding Penicillium spores before the cheese is allowed to set. And yes, it’s the same mold that is used to produce penicillin, the antibiotic.

8. Four-time Pro Bowler Ahmad : RASHAD
Ahmad Rashād is a former football player who now works with NBC as a sportscaster. Ahmad proposed marriage to actress Phylicia Ayers-Allen on national television in 1985. Phylicia, who played Bill Cosby’s wife on “The Cosby Show”, accepted the proposal and became Rashād’s third wife.

9. “Beetle Bailey” dog : OTTO
Sgt. Snorkel (“Sarge”) is Beetle Bailey’s nemesis in the cartoon strip that bears his name. Snorkel has a dog called Otto that he dresses up to look just like himself. Otto started off as a regular dog, but artist Mort Walker decide to draw him more like his owner, and soon Otto became a big hit.

11. Test with letters : EYE EXAM
That eye chart with the letters on it that get smaller and smaller as you move down line-by-line, it’s called a Snellen chart. The chart is named after its developer, the Dutch opthamologist Hermann Snellen.

17. Put off till later : SHELVE
These “tabling” and “shelving” idioms drive me crazy, because they are always misused. If a topic is shelved, it is set aside. If a topic is tabled, it is brought “off the shelf” and put “on the table” for discussion. But, maybe it’s just me …

21. Universal donor’s classification : TYPE O
The most important grouping of blood types is the ABO system. Blood is classified as either A, B, AB or O, depending on the type of antigens on the surface of the red blood cells. A secondary designation of blood is the Rh factor, in which other antigens are labelled as either positive or negative. When a patient receives a blood transfusion, ideally the donor blood should be the same type as that of the recipient, as incompatible blood cells can be rejected. However, blood type O-neg can be accepted by recipients with all blood types, A, B, AB or O, and positive or negative. Hence someone with O-neg blood type is called a “universal donor”.

24. Case who co-founded AOL : STEVE
Steve Case was one of the co-founders of Quantum Computer Services, an online services company that evolved into AOL. It was Case who decided to focus AOL on social media and on building a sense of community. The strategy was extremely successful and led to AOL gobbling up market share from major competitors like Prodigy and CompuServe.

29. Broadcast workers’ union : AFTRA
The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.

34. Gen. Scowcroft who advised Ford and Bush : BRENT
Retired Air Force Lieutenant General Brent Scowcroft served as National Security Advisor under Presidents Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush.

36. New mintage of 2002 : EURO COIN
The European Union (EU) today stands at a membership of 27 states. The Euro is the official currency of only 16 of the 27. The list of states in the EU that don’t use the Euro includes the UK, Denmark and Sweden.

37. Limerick scheme : AABBA
No one knows for sure how the verse known as a limerick got its name, although there does seem to be agreement that the name does indeed come from the city or county of Limerick in Ireland.

38. Oncology procedure : CT SCAN
A CT (or “CAT”) scan produces (via computer manipulation) a three dimensional image of the inside of an object, usually the human body. It does so by taking a series of two dimensional x-ray images while rotating the camera around the patient. The issue with CT scans is that they use x-rays, and high doses of radiation can be harmful causing damage that is cumulative over time. An MRI on the other hand (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), uses powerful magnetic fields to generate its images so there is no exposure to ionizing radiation (such as X-rays). We used MRI equipment in our chemistry labs at school, way back in the days when the technology was still called Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging (NMRI). Apparently the marketing folks didn’t like the term “nuclear” because of its association with atomic bombs, so now it’s just called MRI.

39. Day of rest : SHABBAT
Shabbat is the day of rest in the Jewish tradition and is observed each Saturday.

40. One of the Canary Islands : LA PALMA
La Palma is one of the Canary Islands, found off the northwest coast of mainland Africa. The Spanish name for the archipelago is Islas Canarias, derived from the Latin “Insula Canaria” meaning “Island of the Dogs”. The dogs in question were probably Monk seals (“sea dogs” in Latin). Nothing to do with canaries …

46. Onetime Ebert partner : ROEPER
Richard Roeper is columnist and film critic for “The Chicago Sun-Times”. Roeper came to national attentions when he replaced Gene Siskel as co-host with Roger Ebert on the famous film review TV show. Roeper started work with Ebert in 2000, after Siskel died in 1999. Roeper stayed with the show right through 2008, even though his co-host had to bow out in 2006 as Ebert recovered from cancer surgery.

47. Eight-time Oscar nominee who never won : O’TOOLE
Irish actor Peter O’Toole got his big break in movies when he played the title role in the 1962 epic film “Lawrence of Arabia”. But my favorite of O’Toole’s movies is much lighter fare: “How to Steal a Million” in which he stars opposite Audrey Hepburn.

49. Hunters of the now-extinct moa : MAORIS
Moas were flightless birds native to New Zealand that are now extinct. The fate of the Moa is a great example of the detrimental effect that humans can have on animal populations. The Maoris arrived in New Zealand about 1300 AD, upsetting the balance of the ecosystem. The Moa were hunted to extinction within 200 years, which had the knock-on effect of killing off the Haast’s Eagle, the Moa’s only predator prior to the arrival of man.

56. ___ fu : KUNG
In the west we sometimes use the term kung fu to mean a Chinese martial art. We’ve gotten the wrong idea though as the term “kung fu” really describes any skill that can be learned through dedication and hard work. So, kung fu can indeed describe a martial art, but by no means exclusively.

57. “An expensive way of playing marbles,” per G. K. Chesterton : GOLF
Gilbert Keith “G. K.” Chesterton was an English writer. He was a big man, tall and very heavy. Chesterton once remarked to his good (and very slight) friend, the Irish author George Bernard Shaw, “To look at you, anyone would think there was a famine in England”. Shaw replied, “To look at you, anyone would think that you caused it!”

59. P.R. agents’ aids : PDAS
I think the idea is that Public Relations (PR) agents might find Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) to be helpful in their work.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Tow job, maybe : REPO
5. Saturn or Mercury : ORB
8. Best buds? : ROSES
13. Stylishness : ELAN
14. ___ canto : BEL
15. A Jackson : LA TOYA
16. *Comfy place : FIRESIDE (“fire door” & “side door”)
18. Rick who sang “Together Forever” : ASTLEY
19. PayPal money : E-CASH
20. *Alternative to a Crock-Pot : DUTCH OVEN (“Dutch door” & “oven door”)
22. Clear : RID
23. Oahu-to-Molokai dir. : ESE
25. Truly : YEA
26. Prefix with thermal : EXO-
27. *Metaphor for a sharp mind : STEEL TRAP (“steel door” & “trap door”)
30. Make lean : DEFAT
32. Woman in a garden : EVE
33. American Heart Mo. (appropriately) : FEB
35. Pitcher Hideo ___ : NOMO
36. *Gathering spot for the upwardly mobile? : ELEVATOR CAR (“elevator door” & “car door”)
39. Turn about : SLUE
41. Discernment of a sort : EAR
42. Enumeration follower : ETC
43. What George lacks? : HARD G
45. *Campaign from town to town : BARNSTORM (“barn door” & “storm door”)
50. Return address for many absentee ballots: Abbr. : APO
51. Wall St. insider, maybe : ARB
53. Like some stocks, for short : OTC
54. Weak ___ : TEA
55. *Where a cast may be found : BACKSTAGE (“back door” & “stage door”)
58. Skater ___ Anton Ohno : APOLO
60. Garment with buttons on the left : BLOUSE
61. Welcoming symbol … or what each part of the answers to the six starred clues can do? : OPEN DOOR
63. Compounds with nitrogen : AMINES
64. Where a cast may be found : LEG
65. Jai ___ : ALAI
66. Sharp tastes : TANGS
67. Big do : FRO
68. Filibusterers, e.g.: Abbr. : SENS

Down
1. Directs : REFERS
2. Draw : ELICIT
3. Detour-causing event : PARADE
4. Some poor Olympic scores : ONES
5. Eastern wrap : OBI
6. Like Texas vis-à-vis New York, politically : REDDER
7. ___ cheese : BLEU
8. Four-time Pro Bowler Ahmad : RASHAD
9. “Beetle Bailey” dog : OTTO
10. Algebra problem directive : SOLVE FOR
11. Test with letters : EYE EXAM
12. Refuse : SAY NO TO
15. Some frills : LACE
17. Put off till later : SHELVE
21. Universal donor’s classification : TYPE O
24. Case who co-founded AOL : STEVE
28. Caught fish in a pot, say : EELED
29. Broadcast workers’ union : AFTRA
31. Pass : ENACT
34. Gen. Scowcroft who advised Ford and Bush : BRENT
36. New mintage of 2002 : EURO COIN
37. Limerick scheme : AABBA
38. Oncology procedure : CT SCAN
39. Day of rest : SHABBAT
40. One of the Canary Islands : LA PALMA
44. Dangerous buildup in a mine : GASSES
46. Onetime Ebert partner : ROEPER
47. Eight-time Oscar nominee who never won : O’TOOLE
48. Advance again : RELOAN
49. Hunters of the now-extinct moa : MAORIS
52. Shippers’ plans: Abbr. : RTES
56. ___ fu : KUNG
57. “An expensive way of playing marbles,” per G. K. Chesterton : GOLF
59. P.R. agents’ aids : PDAS
62. Massage target, maybe : EGO

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